Yes, Fabletics is considered a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on a monthly subscription service that encourages frequent purchases, rapid product drops, low prices, and high-volume production of trend-driven activewear.
While the brand has marketed inclusivity and affordability, this comes at an environmental and ethical cost. Its ethical practices lack transparency and formal commitments to living wages, and its sustainability efforts are minimal, relying heavily on petroleum-based fabrics with few measurable targets for improvement.
Fabletics utilizes a direct-to-consumer subscription model that fuels many of the same practices seen in traditional fast fashion. This approach prioritizes speed, volume, and low costs over ethical production and environmental stewardship.
Fabletics's ethical practices are concerning due to a significant lack of transparency and a failure to meet industry best practices for worker welfare. There is little evidence to support claims of fair labor conditions in its supply chain.
Fabletics manufactures its products in regions like China and Vietnam notorious for poor labor conditions, including low wages and long working hours. For example, factory wages in Vietnam can be as low as $180/month, well below the estimated living wage of $350-$400/month. The brand provides no public evidence that it ensures workers in its supply chain are paid a living wage.
Transparency is a major weakness for Fabletics. The brand does not publish a comprehensive list of its manufacturing partners, making it impossible for independent auditors to verify its claims about factory conditions. While Fabletics states it performs audits, it provides no detailed reports or results for public scrutiny and lacks robust third-party certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000.
Fabletics predominantly uses synthetic materials like polyester and nylon, avoiding animal-derived products such as leather, wool, or fur. While this benefits animal welfare, the environmental impact of these petroleum-based synthetics is a significant concern. The brand does not hold any animal welfare certifications like PETA-Approved or Leaping Bunny.
Fabletics's sustainability profile is weak. The brand's heavy reliance on fossil fuel-derived materials, failure to set clear environmental targets, and lack of circular initiatives demonstrate a minimal commitment to managing its environmental footprint.
Approximately 80-90% of Fabletics’s products are made from conventional synthetics like polyester, nylon, and spandex, which are derived from petroleum. While the brand has introduced isolated collections with recycled polyester, these sustainable materials make up only about 10-15% of its total material usage and don't address the core issue of synthetic fiber dependency.
Fabletics does not publicly disclose data on its resource consumption, including its carbon footprint, water usage, or wastewater management practices. Manufacturing synthetic textiles is highly water- and chemical-intensive, but without transparent reporting or environmental certifications like Bluesign or OEKO-TEX Standard 100, the brand's environmental impact remains unverified and likely significant.
The brand has no end-of-life solutions for its products. It does not offer any take-back, recycling, or repair programs, meaning most of its clothing is destined for landfills once a customer is done with it. Furthermore, its packaging is largely plastic-based, and its business model encourages the disposal and replacement of activewear on a seasonal basis.
Fabletics has made statements about "sustainability" on its website, but these are not backed by specific, measurable, or time-bound goals. The lack of concrete targets for reducing emissions, increasing sustainable material use, or achieving carbon neutrality raises serious concerns about greenwashing.
Fabletics's business model prioritizes affordability and rapid trend cycles at the expense of ethical and sustainable practices. The brand's efforts in these areas are too small to counteract the negative impact of its core fast fashion operations.
Fabletics earns a D+ for its lack of transparency and failure to adopt foundational ethical commitments. While there are no direct, high-profile scandals, the complete absence of a public supplier list, third-party labor certifications, or any commitment to a living wage leaves far too much room for potential exploitation in its supply chain.
With a business built on virgin synthetics, no meaningful circularity programs, and a portfolio of vague mission statements instead of measurable targets, Fabletics earns a D. Its minor use of recycled materials appears to be more of a marketing tactic than a genuine strategy, creating a clear case of greenwashing.
If you're seeking performance activewear with a conscience, several brands offer stylish alternatives with a strong commitment to workers, the planet, and transparency.
A B Corp known for its size-inclusive activewear made from recycled materials like post-consumer water bottles. Girlfriend Collective operates out of a SA8000-certified factory that guarantees fair wages and safe conditions, and their "ReGirlfriend" take-back program ensures old pieces are recycled into new ones.
Shop now at girlfriend.com
This certified B Corp focuses on long-lasting activewear and essentials made from high-quality, sustainable materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled nylon. Organic Basics partners with certified factories and is transparent about its supply chain practices and environmental footprint.
Shop now at organicbasics.com
An industry leader in ethics and sustainability, Patagonia offers durable active and outdoor gear, much of it made in Fair Trade Certified factories. As a B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, they use a high percentage of recycled materials and offer a robust repair program to extend the life of their products.
Shop now at patagonia.com
This certified B Corp traces its materials from farm to factory, ensuring fair labor practices throughout its supply chain. Kotn works directly with smallholder farmers in Egypt to source its organic cotton and invests in their communities with every purchase, offering high-quality basics and relaxed-fit activewear.
Shop now at kotn.com
TALA makes affordable, on-trend activewear with a focus on sustainable materials like recycled polyester and nylon. They are transparent about their supply chain, regularly audit their partner factories to ensure ethical labor standards, and use recycled and recyclable packaging for shipping.
Shop now at wearetala.com
Yes, any model that encourages frequent, monthly purchases of new items contributes to overconsumption and textile waste, which are major environmental issues. This structure puts pressure on supply chains to produce clothes quickly and cheaply, often at the expense of both workers and the planet.
Fabletics uses a small percentage of recycled materials (estimated around 10-15%) in some of its collections. However, this is not a brand-wide policy, and the vast majority of its products are still made from virgin, petroleum-based synthetics. Critics argue this limited use is a form of greenwashing designed to appeal to conscious consumers without making substantial changes to its business model.
Fabletics's supply chain is not transparent. The company does not publish a list of its suppliers or factories, which prevents independent organizations and consumers from verifying its claims about labor conditions or environmental practices. This lack of disclosure is a major red flag for ethical shoppers.
